Depression affects more than 21 million people in the USA
It is entirely normal to feel down in the dumps sometimes. With the stresses and pressures that come with the day-to-day grind, it is easy to feel helpless and sad. Most times, those feelings will lift when the situations that cause that stress and worry dissipate. However, you may encounter a period where it is very difficult to separate yourself from feelings of sadness and despair. When those feelings interfere with your day-to-day functioning, it goes beyond feeling sad, and you may be struggling with depression.
Depression is the most common mental illness people experience in the United States, with nearly 21 million American adults experiencing at least one depressive episode. If you suffer from the effects of this devastating mental illness, a San Francisco depression therapy program can significantly benefit you. Contact Well Clinic today to learn more about depression treatment and talk therapy in San Francisco.
How Does Therapy Help with Depression?
Therapy is a very effective tool in helping you address and overcome your depression. Initially, you may have misgivings in opening up about your deepest fears and pain. While those fears are understandable, an experienced therapist can be your biggest ally and support system. In a non-judgmental and safe environment, you and your therapist work together to confront the thoughts and behaviors that keep you stuck in depression. With the help of your therapist, you can find healthy ways to deal with those feelings.
A great benefit of depression treatment in San Francisco is that your therapist will help you pinpoint the life events contributing to your condition. Once pinpointed, your therapist will help you find ways to adapt, accept, and change those situations. Secondly, your therapists will help you see that the thoughts you once held are distorted and holding you back from the happiness you deserve. Thirdly, you can set realistic goals for your future. While you may not completely conquer your depression, the tools and support you receive in therapy will give you the confidence to address the symptoms of your depression after therapy.
What are the Signs of Depression?
According to the DSM-5 (a manual that therapists use to diagnose patients), depression occurs when you suffer from any 5 of these symptoms for two weeks or longer.
- A depressed or lethargic mood during most of the day, particularly in the morning
- Fatigue or loss of energy
- Feelings of worthlessness or guilt
- Impaired concentration
- Indecisiveness
- Insomnia or hypersomnia (excessive sleeping)
- Markedly diminished interest or pleasure in almost all activities
- Recurring thoughts of death or suicide
- A feeling of restlessness or being slowed down
- Significant weight loss or weight gain
It is worth noting that depression is different from sadness or grief, which generally stem from some sort of loss. While they may feel the same on the surface, depression counseling can help you identify the causes of your feelings and treat them appropriately.
Should you discover that your depression is actually sadness or grief, our compassionate depression therapists in San Francisco can help you recover from that too.
How Can I Get Help With Depression?
If you are suffering from any of the above symptoms, our compassionate depression therapists in San Francisco are here to help.
Your depression counseling treatment plan might include a mix of traditional therapy, holistic remedies, exercise, understanding, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), medication management or psychodynamic therapy for depression.
The goal is to help you learn to recognize unhelpful patterns of thought, evaluate their validity and engage in alternative and healthier ways of thinking. Then, you can begin to recover from depression.
What Therapies Are Used to Treat Depression?
When you enter a San Francisco depression therapy program, you will learn there is a single effective option for therapy. You have unique and specific needs when it comes to treatment. A one size fits all approach to therapy may not adequately address all of your needs.
In many, if not all, San Francisco depression treatment centers, psychotherapy is the most utilized therapy. Psychotherapy allows people to find the specific thought patterns, behaviors, and life events that contributed to their chronic depression. Therapists will work with clients in developing healthy coping skills to address those areas, and clients become empowered to take control of their emotions and feelings. Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) is highly effective for those suffering from depression—especially if combined with medications administered under strict supervision. Not only does CBT help people address their depression during therapy, but it also minimizes recurrences of depressive episodes after treatment.
In addition to CBT, there are other powerful therapies that are used in depression treatment in San Francisco. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) is very similar to CBT, but DBT focuses on patients identifying their emotions and learning to accept and regulate those emotions. In this therapy modality, patients learn to “talk back” to their negative emotions. Another similar therapy is Behavioral Activation (BA). BA is often used in conjunction with other therapies and helps clients establish long-term coping strategies by helping them set realistic long-term goals.
Problem-Solving Therapy (PST) is another therapy used in a San Francisco depression treatment program. This therapy focuses on clients developing mindfulness and adaptive problem solving when confronted with behavior and attitudes that make them vulnerable to sliding back into depression. As with any therapy program, experienced therapists will conduct a comprehensive evaluation before treatment to determine the best therapy for a particular client.
Our Depression Treatment Program in the Bay Area
Well Clinic is a San Francisco mental health treatment center with a team of depression therapists who will create a dynamic and personalized depression counseling treatment plan that might include a mix of traditional therapy, holistic remedies, exercise, understanding, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), medication management or psychodynamic therapy for depression. The goal is to help you learn to recognize unhelpful patterns of thought, evaluate their validity, and engage in alternative and healthier ways of thinking. Then, you can begin to recover from depression.
Call Well Clinic today to find a therapist in your area.
